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Cooperation project between the Medical Center - University of Freiburg and Siemens Healthineers brings the latest medical technology developments directly to patients

As a sign of the close, strategic cooperation, the Heart Center of the Medical Center - University of Freiburg has been named a Global Multimodal Reference Clinic for Cardiovascular Medicine by Siemens Healthineers. This makes the Medical Center - University of Freiburg the first university hospital in Germany to receive this award.

The aim of the already very fruitful partnership between Siemens Healthineers and the Medical Center - University of Freiburg is to develop pioneering multimodal clinical procedures and treatment concepts in cardiovascular medicine. Innovative medical technologies and intelligent digitalization processes are already making a valuable contribution to improving patient care and pointing the way to a redesign of healthcare.

"The Medical Center - University of Freiburg provides quality-centered, cutting-edge university medicine on a daily basis and is one of the pioneers of digitalization in the healthcare sector," says Prof. Dr. Frederik Wenz, Chief Medical Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Medical Center - University of Freiburg. "We are also increasingly relying on big data analysis and artificial intelligence in diagnostics, therapy determination and quality control. Strong partnerships with industry are essential for us to find innovative solutions to technological and medical challenges for the benefit of patients."

"We have enjoyed a very successful partnership with the Medical Center - University of Freiburg for many years. The University Heart Center provides holistic care for patients with cardiovascular diseases and pursues an integrated treatment concept along the entire clinical patient pathway. Integrated innovations and concepts that optimize patient treatment in order to achieve better therapy results are the common goal of this cooperation," says Doris Pommi, Head of Cardiovascular Care at Siemens Healthineers.

Pioneering technologies in therapy and diagnostics

One practical example of the good and active cooperation is the world's most modern cardiac catheter robot, which has been in use at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg for several months. With the aid of state-of-the-art imaging, physicians can use the assistant robot to dilate coronary vessels or insert stents, for example after a heart attack. The robotic arm is controlled by the physicians using numerous sensors and motors via a control console with a high-resolution monitor, which is positioned at a distance from the treatment table. With the support of the robot, the cardiologists can perform coronary artery interventions even more precisely and yet very gently.

Another example is the joint project "Photon-Counting CT Consortium" (PC3) at the university locations of Freiburg, Tübingen and Mannheim.The consortium includes the two partners Siemens Healthineers and the state agency BIOPRO Baden-Württemberg GmbH.

The new photon counting technology, which has been developed through extensive basic research, is the next generation of CT. In contrast to the CT technology used to date, the new technology is based on the direct conversion of X-ray photons into a primarily digital signal in the CT detector. Fully digital data acquisition opens up completely new possibilities in patient care. In particular, the acquisition of large, highly complex data sets offers valuable approaches for the further development of diagnostics and therapy.

Picture caption: The partnership is further strengthened: Dr. Bernd Montag, CEO of Siemens Healthineers (left), presents Prof. Dr. Frederik Wenz, Chief Medical Officer of the Medical Center - University of Freiburg, with a sign designating the University Heart Center as a new global reference clinic of Siemens Healthineers.
Image source: Medical Center - University of Freiburg

Caption: Prof. Dr. Constantin von zur Mühlen (left), Head of Interventional Cardiology at the Department of Cardiology and Angiology at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg, in conversation with Dr. Bernd Montag, CEO of Siemens Healthineers, at one of the world's most modern cardiac catheterization robots.
Image source: Medical Center - University of Freiburg